Two of the Premier League's most in-form sides are set for a seismic showdown this weekend as Aston Villa prepare to host league leaders Arsenal at Villa Park.
Fixture Details and How to Watch
The crucial Premier League match is scheduled for Saturday 6 December, with the action getting underway at 12.30pm GMT. For fans in the United Kingdom, the exclusive live broadcast will be on TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports Ultimate.
Viewers can access the coverage by purchasing a TNT Sports subscription through discovery+, which is available for £30.99 per month.
Form Guide and Stakes at Villa Park
Unai Emery's Aston Villa head into this fixture with immense momentum, having secured four consecutive victories. Their most recent triumph was a spectacular 4-3 win away at Brighton, where they fought back from a two-goal deficit. Striker Ollie Watkins was the hero, netting a brace and signalling a return to his peak form.
Meanwhile, Arsenal reinforced their position at the summit with a comfortable win over Brentford at the Emirates Stadium. This response followed a minor setback in a 1-1 draw at Chelsea. Mikel Arteta's Gunners currently hold a five-point lead over Manchester City, with Villa sitting just one point further back in third place, making this a pivotal clash in the title race.
Team News and Predicted Line-Ups
The build-up to the match has been dominated by injury concerns for both camps. Aston Villa's first-choice goalkeeper, Emi Martinez, is a major doubt after a back injury forced him to miss the Brighton game, with Marco Bizot expected to deputise again. Ross Barkley and Tyrone Mings remain sidelined until the end of the year.
Arsenal are grappling with a defensive crisis. Both Declan Rice and Cristhian Mosquera were substituted with leg injuries against Brentford. While Rice has indicated he is "fine" and likely to play, Mosquera is expected to join Leandro Trossard and William Saliba on the treatment table.
Predicted Aston Villa XI: Bizot; Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne; Kamara, Tielemans; Buendia, McGinn, Rogers; Watkins.
Predicted Arsenal XI: Raya; White, Timber, Hincapie, Calafiori; Odegaard, Zubimendi, Merino; Saka, Gyokeres, Eze.
